Since the inception, YouTube has grown multi-folds in social media and video entertainment industry. It took turns to adapt to various new tech reforms like taking over traditional and smart TV viewing, Live videos, 360-degree videos, APIs and more.
What’s on YouTube for Mobile users? Read on – The average number of YouTube video views on mobile per day is 1,000,000,000 (I bet! you didn’t even read that number), while mobile viewing session lasts more than 40 minutes daily. This is up with more than 50% year-over-year. Also, let’s not forget that YouTube’s mobile revenue is up to 2x year-on-year. It’s perfect, isn’t it? Well, it may be, but here is the deal with YouTube, it does not give you videos or stories as and when it happens, and it does not give you videos with first-hand experiences. Almost all the videos uploaded are thoroughly edited and enhanced for the better viewing experience. This is good for a user but not if one wishes to see a non-edited feed from a real user with an opinion!
What is IGTV?
Enter IGTV! A new kid on the block backed by Mummy Instagram and Daddy Facebook. With the launch of Instagram IGTV you can watch videos on your phone (only) in vertical format or as told by Instagram, Long Format videos, covering and utilizing your whole screen. You can read everything you need to know, to get up to speed with IGTV.
Basically, IGTV wants to be YouTube of the phone! There you go, I said it!
Also Read: 4 Essential Qualities You Need to Begin Your Career in Marketing
Couple of gaps that Instagram IGTV aims to fill
Vertical format videos mean utilizing your complete screen and thus enhancing user experience.
Those who want to create videos but are shying away from using professional equipment for various reasons can directly pull out their phone and start recording.
Since the IGTV videos will be shot on phone directly, it’ll be more personalized, less fabricated & enhanced.
As for now, IGTV app won’t break the Internet. But surely, it has the potential to shift the way people consume video. As the Internet prepares itself for Mobile friendly web, I think IGTV will do just fine.
Answering the main question, will it threaten YouTube? well then answer is no. YouTube will still be the king of video consumption. While consumption on mobile might decrease to some extent, YouTube is not going anywhere.
While IGTV will have to compete against daddy Facebook, it already has youngsters onboard on Instagram, which is required for IGTV account.
Also Read: 5 Interesting Innovations from Google Marketing Keynote 2018
